NLCentral_Pittsburgh Pirates

2014 Kansas City Gameday HQ

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
5-YEAR SCORECARD
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
WINS 94 79 72 57 62
RUNS PER GAME 3.91 4.02 3.77 3.62 3.95
RUNS ALLOWED PER GAME 3.56 4.16 4.40 5.35 4.77
OPENING-DAY PAYROLL (millions) $66.8 $51.9 $42.0 $39.1 $48.7
Francisco Liriano
2014 STRENGTHS:
• Long-ball offense
• Deep and talented pitching staff
2014 WEAKNESSES:
• Uncertainty at the top of the rotation
• No more element of surprise
In 2013, Pittsburgh reached the
postseason for the first time since 1992
and advanced for the first time since
“We Are Family” in 1979. They held
first place in the Central for 25 days,
eventually finishing second. A lot went
right along the way and the Bucs will
need similar good fortune to get back to
the postseason.
HITTING
Meet “The Lumber Company, 2.0.” The
Pirates were fourth in the NL in homers (161)
while finishing third in triples (35) and fifth
in stolen bases (94). But too often they relied
on the long ball, hitting only .245 (11th), and
predictably, struck out a lot — 1,330 times,
third-most in the NL. The Bucs frequently came
up empty in the clutch, battting .229 with
runners in scoring position (only the Cubs were
worse). Andrew McCutchen did it all in winning
MVP, finishing top-10 in nearly every offensive
category except homers. Pedro Alvarez took
care of homers, sharing the home run crown,
the first Pirate since Willie Stargell in 1973 to
do so. His 24 dingers before the break put him
in company with Stargell and Ralph Kiner.
Explosive leftfielder Starling Marte was only
the third Pirate and first since 1925 to have
double-digit triples (10) and homers (12) with
40 stolen bases. He also tore up lefties, batting
an NL-best .402.
NL Central
JARED WICKERHAM/GETTY IMAGES SPORT